BDO holds career talk for graduating Ateneans featuring its President and CEO Nestor V Tan

The Ateneo Office of Placement and Career Services hosted a career and recruitment talk with BDO Unibank last 13 May 2025. The event was meant to inform the graduating Ateneo College Class of 2025 of the possibility of a career in the banking industry, and in BDO in particular.

The keynote speaker at the event was none other than Mr Nestor V Tan, President and CEO of BDO Unibank, Inc. Accompanying Mr Tan were several Ateneo alumni turned BDO leaders who were there to share their experiences working at the company.

Originally established on 2 January 1968 as Acme Savings Bank, a small thrift bank with just two branches, BDO Unibank has since grown into the Philippines' largest banking institution, with over 1,200 branches and over 5,400 ATMs around the country, as well as numerous offices abroad.

Prio to the event, Mr Tan also paid a courtesy call to Fr Roberto C Yap SJ, President of Ateneo de Manila University.

In his keynote address, Mr Tan introduced the members of the graduating batch in attendance to BDO and the various lines of business the bank had. In particular, he emphasized how through these lines of business, people working at BDO are able to participate in nation-building through the allocation of capital to those who need it.

In addition, Mr Tan participated in a short open forum where members of the graduating batch got to ask him more about BDO and careers in the company.

Mr Tan's keynote was followed by three Atenean alumni currently working at BDO. First was Mr Ricky Espiritu, Brokerage Sales Head at BDO Securities. Mr Espiritu talked about BDO's career development programs and how they can help new hires advance their careers at the company.

Following this, a panel consisting of Ms Cindy Saw, FVP and Head of Data Analytics, Information Technology Group; Atty Bong Lledo, SVP and Head - Wealth Structuring, BDO Private Bank Inc; and Mr Jay Zialcity, VP and Senior Section Head, Corporate Banking and International Desks.

Ms Saw, Atty Lledo, and Mr Zialcita fielded questions from the students students in attendance. These questions ranged the gamut from those on whether certain courses were fit for work at BDO, to ones asking for further clarification on BDO's various lines of business.

Following the talks, the students were also given the chance to participate in a networking session with the BDO leaders and staff in attendance.